Irish state-owned utility ESB has reached Final Investment Decision on its 96MW Chleansaid Wind Farm near Lairg in the Scottish Highlands, executing the principal construction contracts and clearing the way for building work to start later this year.
Chleansaid is a 16-turbine, wholly ESB-owned onshore project. It secured Scottish planning consent in 2023 and holds a 15-year Contract for Difference, giving it a long-term route to market for its output. Construction is due to begin later in 2026, with commercial operation targeted for 2028.
The announcement is a notable one for the wider Scottish onshore wind pipeline: ESB describes Chleansaid as its first wholly developed onshore wind project in Scotland, and the first to advance into construction from what it says is a current pipeline of approximately 2GW of onshore wind opportunities under development across Scotland and Wales.
Delivery partners in place
ESB has signed principal construction contracts with three international partners:
- GE Vernova will supply the wind turbine generators and provide long-term service support.
- Kirby Group will deliver the Electrical Balance of Plant.
- Farrans Construction will deliver the Civil Balance of Plant.
Paul Lennon, Head of Renewables at ESB, said in the company’s 2 September announcement: “Reaching Final Investment Decision for Chleansaid is a major milestone for ESB and a significant step in the delivery of our renewable energy ambitions across Scotland and the UK. As our first wholly developed onshore wind project in Scotland, Chleansaid demonstrates our long-term commitment to investing in clean, secure and home-grown energy.”
He added: “Working alongside our partners GE Vernova, Kirby Group and Farrans, we are proud to move into the construction phase of a project that will deliver lasting economic and environmental benefits for the Highlands and help accelerate the transition to a net zero future.”
A UK first for GE Vernova’s Cypress platform
In a linked announcement dated Edinburgh, 3 September 2026, GE Vernova confirmed that it has signed an agreement with ESB to supply 16 units of its 6.1 MW-158m onshore turbines — a machine also marketed as the Cypress — for Chleansaid. The deal includes a 20-year services agreement, and GE Vernova said the turbines will be manufactured in Germany.
Notably, this marks the first use of GE Vernova’s Cypress turbine in the UK. The machines rely on the company’s split-blade technology, which allows longer blades to be transported to remote sites in sections and reassembled on-site — useful for the kind of Highland locations where road logistics can otherwise limit turbine size. GE Vernova said its 6MW platform has more than 1,800 turbines deployed globally, with over 38 million operating hours to date.
Gilan Sabatier, GE Vernova’s Chief Commercial Officer for Onshore Wind, international markets, said: “We are delighted to extend our support for ESB by supplying turbines for the Chleansaid Wind Farm. This will be the first use of our workhorse 6MW turbine in the UK, building on our existing UK footprint and installed base. By delivering our 6 MW workhorse platform with our proven split-blade technology, we are enabling ESB to maximize the production at this site.”
Scottish Government backs the milestone
Stephen Gethins, Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy in the Scottish Government, welcomed the FID as evidence of investor confidence in Scotland’s renewables market.
“This decision is a significant vote of confidence in Scotland as a place to invest in renewable energy,” Gethins said in the ESB release. “This reflects our desire for the energy transition to be reaching and benefitting communities across Scotland.”
He added: “Reaching Final Investment Decision marks the point at which a project moves from development into delivery, and projects like Chleansaid will play an important role in supporting economic growth, energy security and Scotland’s transition to net zero including in the Highlands and elsewhere. I congratulate ESB and its partners on reaching this important milestone.”
With FID reached, contracts signed and turbines specified, Chleansaid now moves from a paper consent into a live Highland construction project — and the first of a larger ESB onshore wind build-out expected to work its way through Scotland and Wales over the coming years.
